Fastening-inserting machine



March 12, 1946. F1 E. STRA TTON 2,396,349

FASTENING-INSERTING MACHINE F1186 Aug. 5, 1943 12 Sheets-Sheet '1 r k HMarch ,1 F. E. STRATTON FASTENING-INSERTING MACHINE Fild Aug. 5, 1 94512 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 12, 1946. F. E. STRATTON 2,396,349

FASTENING-INSERTING MACHINE Filed Au 5, 1943 12 sheets-sheet 4 I 6'0 vTlg L. m 332 March 12,1946. r F. E. STRATTON 2,396,349

' FASTENING-INSEBTING MACHINE Filed Aug; 5, 1945 12 Sheets-Sheet s March12, 1946. F. E. STRATTON 2,396,349

FASTENING- INSERTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1945 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 43 T81 V152 I U/Q v F. STRATTON FASTENING-INSERTING MACHINE March 12, 1946.

Filed Aug. 5, 1943 12 Sheets-Sheet 7 March 12, 1946. F. E. STRATTON2,396,349

FASTENING-INSERTING MACHINE I Filed Aug. 5, 1943 12 Sheets-Sheet a March12, 1946. F. E. STRATTON FASTENING-INSERTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1945l2 Sheets-Sheet 9 March 12, 1946. F. E. sTRATToN FASTENING-INSERTINGMACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1945 12 Sheets-Sheet l0 OQE \illll l March 12,1946. F. E. STRATTON 2,396,349

FASTENING- INSERTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1945 12 SheetsSheet ll k 2kmMarch 12, 1946. F. E. STRATTON 2,396,349

FASTENING-INSERTING MACHINE Filed 1945 12 SheetsSheet 12 Patented Mar.12, 1946 FASTENING-INSERTING MACHINE Frank E. Stratton, Beverly, Mass,assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J acorporation of New Jersey Application August 5, 1943, Serial No. 497,461

59 Claims.

My invention relates to machines by which work-portions are secured toeach other, as in the attachment of heel-parts to the heel-seats ofshoes. It is particularly concerned with machines of the characterdisclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,293,624,Parkhurst, August 18, 1942, and in which the attachment of heels iseffected by fastenings cut from strings of fiber.

An object of this invention is to increase the efficiency of such amachine and its smoothness and certainty of operation and to facilitateits control by the operator. This object is attained through thefollowing features: In fluid-pressure mechanism by which the work isheld for an operation upon it, the member through which the Operatorexercises control is positively retained in its active position.Initiation of the power-cycle of the machine is guarded against untilthe work is properly located for the operation upon it. Withoil-actuated mechanism through which fluid-pressure is applied to thework, a lubricating system is combined. An adjustable mounting of thefastening-drivers upon their carrier is provided, which renders theiralinement more certain and the machining operations easier. The prickingand inserting strokes of the fastening-drivers are made accurately topredetermined extents and without shock. A control of certain of thedrivers, as those acting at the breast of a heel, is effected in asimple and reliable manner. The strings of material from which thefastenings are severed are advanced in different lengths correspondingto different depths to which they are to be inserted, as, respectively,at the periphery of a heel and at its breast.

tring-feeding rolls are so mounted as to facilitate the rethreading ofthe strings upon change of the inserting design, and novel means isfurnished for varying the feeding pressure applied to the rolls. Thereis simplified mechanism for feeding the strings, whether these are inone or a plurality of groups, together with means for ac curatelyvarying the length of feed. The selec tive feed of the strings duringonly the prickin stroke of the drivers is produced by the travel of theloader-block, or similar member, which transfers fastenings to theinserting mechanism, and, at the same time, the positioning of the groupof drivers which are movable upon their carrier is effected by the samemeans.

On June 28, 1944, there was filed in the United States Patent Oflice adivisional application directed to the signaling system of thisinvention, it bearing the Serial Number 542,574.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 shows in side elevation one of several possible embodiments of myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 3, an enlarged bro-ken front elevation of the fastening-insertingmechanism and the fiberfeeding mechanism;

Fi 4, a broken side elevation looking from the right in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5, a horizontal section on the line V-V of Fig. 4, showing thefeed-rolls;

Fig. 6, a top plan view of the signaling mechanism associated with thefeed-rolls;

Fig. 7, an enlarged front elevation of the mounting for the drivers,together with a portion of the actuating means for the feedingmechanism;

, v Fig. 8, a plan view of the adjusting means for Fig. 13, a similarview taken somewhat at the rear of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14, a front elevation of the eccentric and cam mechanism, whichproduces the reciprocation of the drivers, determines the extent of thepricking and inserting strokes of said drivers and applies finalpressure to the work;

Fig. 15, a partial vertical section on the line XVXV of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16, a top plan view of the means whereby the pricking stroke of thedrivers may be varied; and

Fig. 1'7, a diagram illustrating the hydraulicpressure and lubricatingsystems of the machine;

Generally, the machine of this invention is of the same character asthat disclosed in the pre viously mentioned patent. The features commonto the two machines will be but briefly described. The work, as a shoe Sto be heeled (Fig. 1), is supported upon a jack J beneath a die andabutment is of fastening mechanism M (Fig. 2). With the die isassociated a holder H retaining against the underside of said die atop-lift l, which may be of rubber, and below this a heelbase h. Theheel-seat of the shoe is brought into preliminary engagement with theheel-base in the holder by the actuation of a treadle l2, and receivesfinal work-clamping pressure under the influence of a rotatablepower-shaft I4, journaled horizontally in the frame I5 of the machine.Reciprocatory drivers l6, I6 (Figs. 2, 3, 4, 7 and 9) of the insertingmechanism M act through multiple fastening-receiving passages l3, la inthe die to first serve as awls, pricking through the heel-parts into theheel-seat of the shoe, and, upon a second movement, inserting fasteningsin the pricked openings. These fastenings preferably consist of pegs cutfrom strings of fiber 1, advanced from feeding mechanism F to theloading mechanism L through foot-plate mechanism P. The feedingmechanism is operated under the influence of the pricking stroke of thedrivers to advance the correct lengths of the fiber strings intopassages in the loading mechanism. Said loading mechanism then acts toshear ofi discrete fastenings and transfer these above the die-passages,presenting them to receive the inserting stroke of the drivers. Asherein illustrated, the drivers 16 and their receiving die-passages l8are each twelve in number, these being arranged to act about the curvedperiphery of the heel, while two drivers It and their passages l8 act atthe breast of said heel.

Considering now the jack J, this is mounted upon a slide 26,reciprocated vertically in ways 22 upon the machine frame (Fig. 2). Itis movable horizontally upon the slide in ways 26 between a forwardwork-receiving position and-a rearward operating position. Referringparticularly to Fi s. 1, l0 and 17, the slide 26 rests upon a piston 28,movable in a cylinder 30 mounted upon the frame. cylinder 32, of smallerdiameter than the cylinder 33 and in which is a piston 34. The twocylinders communicate with each other t rough a conduit 36 controlled bya check-valve 38 opening toward the cylinder 38. The piston 34 is raisedagainst the force of a spring 43, interposed between it and thecylinder-head, by a cam 42 fast upon a shaft 44, journaled in the frameand rotated through spur-gearing 46 from the shaft l4, once for eachoperating cycle. The act on of the cam r is shown as communicated to thepiston through a lever 45 fulcrumed upon the frame and provided with apair of rotatable rolls 41, 41, respectively engaging said cam andpiston (Fig. 14). The shaft I4 receives power throu h spurgearing 48from a main driving shaft 50, belted at 52 to a motor 54. Clutchmechanism 56 for controlling a power-cycle of the machine is trippedwhen a rod 53 is pushed rearwardly by the operator through a hand-lever60. An expansion-spring 62 maintains the rod normally retracted.

In a vertical cylinder 64, a piston 66 is movable, and linked to thispiston at 68 is the treadle l2. The piston is lowered and the treadlenormally raised by a tension-spring 10. Conduits l2 and 14, connected tothe cylinder 64 at points normally just above the lowered piston 66,lead, respectively, to the bottom of the jack-cylinder 3!) and to asupply-tank 16 for some such liquid as oil. The upper portion of thetreadle-cylinder 64 is joined to the jack-cylinder 30 and to thecylinder 32, through a conduit 18 by way of the conduit 36. A conduit 80extends from the conduit 36 to the tank 16. A passage 82 in thecylinder-wall joins the cylinder 64 to the conduit I4 leading to thetank. Beside the treadle-cylinder 64 is a vertical cylinder 84, in whichis a piston 86 normally raised by an expansion-sprint 88 surrounding itsrod. The piston 86 acts Also carried by the frame is a through thespring 88 upon a pivoted latch 32, movable into engagement with a seriesof teeth 34 upon the link 68 between the treadle and the piston 66. Thelatch may be released manualli through a chain of connections, includinga bellcrank-lever 95, a link 98, a bell-crank-lever I36 and a rod I02,on which is a handle IE4 adjacent to the hand-lever 6G. The rod andhandle are urged normally up by an expansion-spring I65, holding thelatch withdrawn from the teeth on the link 68. Above the piston 86, thecylinder 84 opens into the top of the cylinder 64. In the conduit 18above the cylinder 64 is a check-valve I66, opening fro-m said cylinder.A check-valve I38 in the passage 32 opens from the conduit i4 toward thecylinder 64. The conduit 33 is joined to thetank 16 bya conduit H3, inwhich is a relief-valve H2 opening toward the tank. It is set to blowoff when pressure in the jack-cylinder 32, .created by movement of thepiston 34, exceeds the desired amount. A check-valve H4 is included inthe conduit 83, opening from the tank.

To elevate the jack J with an applied shoe to the operating positionbeneath the die H], the operator depresses the treadle !2, raising thepiston 66 in the cylinder 64. The conduits 12 and 14 are at once closedby thepiston, whereupon its travel, acting through the liquid fillingthe system from the tank 16, creates pressure through the conduit 36,the passage 62 being closed by the check-valve I38. This pressure isapplied through the open check-valve I06 to the cylinder 30 beneath thepiston 28, which has been lowered by its weight and that of the jackelements which it supports. The piston and jack are thereby lifted tothe operating position of the latter, the jacked shoe exerting upon theheel-portions h and I, held beneath the die, a relatively light pressurewhich permits the work to be adjusted by the operator. As the piston 66rises to create the jack-elevating force through the conduit 35,pressure is simultaneously applied to the cylinder 84 above the piston86. Therefore, this piston is .lowered, and the latch 32 is movedthrough the spring 88 into its retaining position against the teeth 94upon link 38, the spring I35 compressing as the rod I62 descends. Boththe conduit 36 and the passage 62 are at this time closed against theescape of pressure, so the piston 86 cannot rise. The engagement betweenthe latch and the link-teeth positively locks the treadle l2 and thepiston 36 against movement by the spring '10. Such leakage as may occurpast the piston 86 will be insufiicient to withdraw the latch from theteeth. The operator, by pressing the hand-lever 66 from him, trips theclutch 56, and the cam 42 turns through 360 quickly elevating the piston34. This produces pressure in the cylinder 32, which is communicatedpast the check-valve 33 to the cylinder 33 and transmitted through thepiston 28 to the jack to produce relatively heavy clamping pressure uponthe work, to the degree allowed by the relief-valve H2. Because of thecheck-valve 38, the pressure which has been created in the cylinder 30is ternporarily locked therein. This prevents possible forcing away ofthe work from the die it, if the drivers co-operating therewith in theirpricking stroke encounter a resistance, say that offered by an unusuallyhard heel, which produces a momentary back-pressure greater than thatfor which the relief -valve is set.

As the operating cycle approaches its termination, the abrupt return ofthe periphery of the cam 42 to its minimum radius allows the spring 40to lower the piston 34 to its initial position. This descent of thepiston causes suction to be created in the conduits 36 and I8, openingthe check-valve I06 and withdrawing liquid from the latching cylinder85, so the piston 86 is lifted by the springs 88 and I65. The latch 92thereupon releases the link 62, and the piston 66 and the treadle I2 arerestored to normal by the spring Ill. To avoid resistance to thismovement by the creation of a vacuum in the cylinder 64, liquid isadmitted from the tank I6 through the conduit I4, check-valve I88 andpassage 82. As the piston 66 approaches the end of its downward travel,it opens the conduits I2 and I4, and through these the liquid flows fromthe cylinder 30 to the tank, the piston 28 and the jack J falling totheir initial positions. If, before starting the powercycle of themachine, the operator wishes to free the work which has been clamped bythe depression of the treadle, he depresses the handle I04. Thiswithdraws the latch 92 from the link 68, so the spring Ill is free tolower the piston 66 and raise the treadle I2. Pressure is removed fromthe cylinders 32 and 84, so the jack falls and the latching piston 26rises.

To prevent tripping the clutch E and starting the power-cycle of themachine, until the work 7 has been raised to operating position, thehandlever e11 is interlocked at I 20 with the rod I02 joined to thelatch 92. In the normal operation of the machine, the hand-lever issecured against actuation until the upper end of the rod has beenlowered from its path by the pressure produced in the cylinder 84 by thepiston 66 when the operator treadles the machine, at which time the jackJ has brought the work against the die II). If, however, the operatorwishes to ensure the full advance of the first load of pegs to be usedfor the attachment of a heel when the machine is started, it is possibleto obtain a preliminary feed without elevation of the jack. For thispurpose, the handle N14 is held down, freeing the handlever 65), whichis then depressed to produce a power-cycle of the machine. This disposesof uneven ends of the strings which may have been in the loadingmechanism L.

Associated with the oil-actuated pressure-system just described, is alubricating system for movable elements of the machine. As best shown inFig. 17, there is a sump or receptacle I22, from which a pump I 2!;supplies oil through a conduit I26 to an elevated receptacle I28, andthrough a connection I 32 from the conduit to the tank or primaryreceptacle I6. From the latter tank, secondary receptacles I32 open, onejoined by a conduit I34 to a receptacle I36. From each of the secondaryreceptacles I 28, I 32 and I 36, conduits I 38 lead to the parts towhich oil is to be delivered. The excess of oil in the tank 16 andreceptacles I28 and I36 is returned to the sump by conduits I40.

As already pointed out, the drivers I6 and I6 are reciprocated twicethrough the passages I8 and I 8 in the die It] during each operatingcycle, for the successive pricking and fastening-inserting strokes.These drivers are carried by a block I (Figs. 3, 4 and '7), from whichrises a stem I52 fitting a vertical bore I53 in a top-girt or primarycarrier I54. The top-girt is bridged between the upper extremities ofside-rods I56, I55, reciprocable in the frame I5 and connected at theirlower ends by a cross-girt I58 guided in vertical ways I60 upon theframe (Figs. 2, 12 and 13). The block I56 is fixed in position in thetop-girt with the drivers in accurate registratightened to lock theadjustment.

tion with the passages of the die and of the interposed loadingmechanism by a screw I62, threaded into the stem and with its headbearing upon a washer I64 resting upon the top-girt. At the front, theblock is maintained against turning about the axis of the stem bybearing against a vertical plate I86, secured to the top-girt. Thedrivers are fixed in a plate I28, having upper and lower sections. Thisplate is held in horizontal ways I10 in the block I52, and is latched inplace at I'I2 to allow for changes of the drivers for differentinserting designs. The breastdrivers I6 are mounted upon a secondaryplate or carrier I13 in a recess I14 in the front of the main plate I68.They are capable of some vertical movement, and are held againstdownward displacement by an overhang at l'lii. To allow the lower endsof all the drivers to be adjusted with relation to the work, there isinterposed between the top-girt I54 and the block I50 a wedge I18,variable in position against an under surface of the top-girttransversely of the driverassembly. An inclined surface It is furnishedby a wedge I82, resting upon the block beneath the wedge I18 and which,by screws I34 and I853 threaded opposite to each other into the wedgeI82 and the stem I52, respectively, may be given a preliminary orsetting-up adjustment. The upper wedge I18 passes through an opening inthe stem and may be shifted by a screw Iiifi threaded into it, and heldagainst longitudinal movement by flanges I92, I92 lying upon oppositesides of a retaining member I94, depending from the top-girt. If thescrew I is turned to carry the Wedge I18 to the left (Fig. '7), theplane to which the fastening-engaging ends of the drivers are advancedwill be lower. Opposite movement of the wedge permits the drivers to beraised. In the first case, the screw I62 is rotated contraclockwise tolower the block I58, so the wedge may be shifted, and then the screw Inthe second, clockwise rotation of the screw I62 takes up the space leftby the withdrawal of the wedge.

The top-girt I5 5 with the drivers It, It are actuated positively togive both the pricking and inserting strokes to predetermined planes.The depth of pricking may be just through the insole, short of thelast-plate. The inserting stroke may be to the desired depth within arubber lift I, with respect to a contained reinforcement, or to thetread-surface of a leather heel. Referring to Figs. 2, 10, 11, 12 and13, I have guided at 296, 29!] upon the side-rods I55, E56, 2. crosshead202. This is reciprocated by a connection at 204 to an eccentric strap206, encircling an eccentric 208 fast upon the shaft it. At oppositesides of the crosshead are upward projections 2 I ii, 2I0, upon whichrest collars 2I'2, 2I2 secured to the side-rods. Thus, the weight of thetop-girt, side-rods and cross-girls, which with the drivers I6, I6 maybe considered to constitute a driver assembly, is carried by thecrosshead. After the crosshead has descended to a certain distance, aprojection 2M from the rear of the cross-girt (Fig. 10) comes intoengagement with a lever 2I5, fulcrumed at 2E3 upon the frame and heldnormally raised by a tension-spring 220.

At the center of the crosshead is a downward projection 222, having atthe forward and rear sides inclined contact-surfaces 222, 224. Opposedto these surfaces are complemental surfaces 2253, 228 upon spaced blocks228, 223, mounted upon a carrier 230 guided for movement transversely ofthe machine upon the upper surface of the cross-girt I58. Through theblocks extends a rod 232, having opposite threaded engagement with themat 235. The rod may be turned to cause the separation or approach of theblocks by connections including spiral gearing 236, a horizontal shaft233 journaled in a crosshead-bracket 2 5i and splined to the gear 236which surrounds it, bevel-gearing 252, and a vertical shaft 25 journaledin the bracket 2% and splined to the surrounding bevel-gear. At itsupper end, at one side of the jack J, convenient for actuation by theoperator, the shaft 244 has fast upon it a hand-crank 2% (Figs. 2 and16). Reducing gearing 2 53 joins the shaft are to a short parallel shaft25%, journaled with the shaft 2 2 1 in a casing 252. Upon the shaft 253is an indicating disk 25d, the periphery of which travels past a fixedindexpoint The disk may be graduated, as in ractions of an inch, to showthe extent to which the drivers E6 and Iii prick the work, this varyingas the blocks 228 are shifted by the rotation of the crank to cause theengagement of the sets of opposed surfaces 22 i and 226 for a greater orless descent of the crosshead.

To control the travel of the drivers to give the longer pricking strokefollowed by the shorter inserting stroke, the carrier 23b is shiftedupon the cross-girt 5'58 transversely of the machine, so that theblock-surfaces 226 lie either in or out of the path of the crosshead-surfaces Rising from the carrier at the right is a projection 26d,provided with a vertical groove 262 (Figs. 13 and 15). In this groove isa roll 3 upon the end of a lever 25%, fulcrumed at 2628 upon the frameand having at its upper extremity a roll 2ft lying in a cam-groove 2'52in the camZ. In each operating cycle of the machine, the eccentric 208is rotated twice through 360 and the cam 52 once.

During the first turn of the eccentric, which produces the prickingstroke of the drivers, the cam 212 and lever hold the carrier 236 so theblocks 228 are at the transverse center of the machine, beneath thecrosshead-projection 2'12. The support of the cross-girt 5553 upon thecrosshead, by engagement of the side-rod-collars 2E2 andcrosshead-projections 2 i ll, holds spaced from each other verticallythe projection-surfaces 22 i and the block-surfaces 225. This leaves theblocks free for adjustment through rotation of the hand-crank 225, sothere may be varied the lost motion of the crosshead before the opposedsurfaces come into contact. The idle descent of the cross-girt carriedupon the crosshead continues until the cross-girt-projection El istrikes the end of the lever 2i .The travel of the crossgirt is thusyieldably checked, while that of the crosshead continues. When the spacebetween the surfaces 22 and 2 .5 has been taken up by this differentialtravel, contact between them is established Without appreciable shock,and the crosshead moves the cross-girt positively, so the drivers i6, itmake their pricking stroke. The

extent of this may be adjusted accurately by the previous setting of theblocks 228 under the guidance of the indicating means 254, 2-55, to varythe amount of preliminary lost motion of the crosshead. The drivershaving completed their pricking stroke, and been elevated by thecocentric 2il8, the continuing rotation of the cam G2 actuates the lever26% to shift the carrier 23E} toward the left (Figs. 12 and 13). Thisremoves the blocks 22% from beneath the crosshead-projection 222. Not,there is lost motion of the crosshead during the second rotation of theeccentric 208, until surfaces 280, 280 upon the unsection of the mainplate.

derside of the cross-girt about the side-rods I56 strike opposedsurfaces 282, 232 upon the crossgirt 158. Again said cross-girt ispositively actuated by the engagement of these sets of surfaces, thelever 2E6 yielding, and the drivers l5 making their fastening-insertingstroke, the extent of which is determined by the adjustment of the wedgeI78 upon the top-girt [5a. In the completion of the operating cycle, thedrivers are returned to their raised positions by the eccentric, whilethe cam 42 restores the blocks 228 to their normal relation beneath'thecrosshead-projection 222, ready for the succeeding pricking operation.It will be noted, that for the pricking stroke, as well as for theinserting stroke, the actuation of the drivers is by a series ofelements which are positively connected throughout. There are interposedno springs, the resistance of which tends to place upon the machine anintermittent overload.

It maybe desirable to have the pricking stroke of certain of thedrivers, as those designated as it, It and located at the heel-breast,of less extent than that of the associated drivers. This may be becausethe heel-seat at the breast has a greater outward curvature than theperipheral portion, or because of the presence in this area of metal orother reinforcements. When, however, the inserting stroke is made, theends of all the drivers should advance to the same plane tocorrespondingly locate the ends of the fastenings. As shown in Figs. 3,4, 7 and 9, two breastdrivers are, therefore, carried independently ofthe drivers is upon the secondary plate I13, movable vertically in thespace We in the lower section of the main plate I68. This secondaryplate is provided with a stem 286, guided in the upper It is held downby gravity, with the lower extremities of its drivers if)" at the levelof those of the drivers l5. Above the upper endof the stem 286, in aslot 290 in the underside of the block 559, is a slide 292 with itsupper surface abutting against the block and having stepped undersurfaces 294 and 296, the former lying in the higher plane (Fig. 4).Into a depression 298 at one side of the rear of the slide projects thevertically extended edge 300 of the end of one arm of a bell-crank-lever3B2, fulcrumed upon the frame I5 at the left of the drivers and in abracket 3% rising from the frame. The extension of the edge 385 givesuninterrupted engagement between the slide and the lever during thereciprocation of the driverassembly. A second arm of the lever 382 isjoined by a link 3516 to one arm of a bell-crank-lever 3S3, fulcrumed at3B9 upon the frame outside the lever 3M and having a lower arm providedwith a rounded end 3) extending in front of the corner 3! I of areciprocatory slide 3E2 of the loading mechanism L. This slide carriesthe multiple block 354, which shears off the fiber 1 advanced by thefeeding mechanism F and transfers it to the inserting mechanism M. Thisshearing and transferring mechanism is as in the previously mentionedpatent, and is more fully described in Letters Patent of the UnitedStates No. 2,207,742, LaChapelle, July 16, 1940. From the slide 312 is aprojection 3l6 extending outside the end 310 of the lever 358.

As appears in Fig. 9, the loader-block SM is back in itsfastening-receiving position beneath the foot-plate mechanism P, towhich the feeding mechanism F delivers the fiber. In its retreat to thispoint, the projection 3i6, engaging the end 3H) of the lever 308, hasoscillated this lever 3M is carrying in its passages, the corner 3 turnsthe lever 388 clockwise. This, through the link 366, swings the lever382 in the same direc tion, the end 388 thrusting the slide 292 forward.The slide-surface 236 is thereby brought above the stem 286 of thebreast-driver-plate, locking this down with the fastening-engaging endsof the drivers H6 in the same plane as that of the drivers Hi. all thefastenings from the loader-block-passages into the work. In the forwardmovement of the loader-slide, the projection 3l6 travels away from thelever-end 318, and as the slide-corner 3 turns the lever 382 it forcesthis end from the space which it has occupied between the projection andcorner. Now, the extended edge 328 at the side of the slide 312 travelsalong the leverend, and therefore holds locked in its active position'the driver-slide 292. the slide 312 is retracted after the insertion ofthe fastenings, when the slide-projection 3l6 picks up the end of thelever 308 to restore the elements to their normal relation.

The feeding mechanism .F, by which the fiber ,f is supplied to theloading mechanism L, is generally illustrated in Fig. 1 and in moredetail in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6. The string of fiber f for each of thedie-passages i6, i8 is drawn from a coil C, contained in one of aplurality of trays 326 arranged in plural series upon vertical rods 328rising from the rear of the frame. Each tray is supported upon aprojection 338 from the rod, and may be turned upon this about the rodbetween a normal delivering position and another at one side of theremainder of the series, in which it may receive a fresh coil. Eachstring of fiber is led up through a guide-tube 332 supported upon abracket 334 rising from a feederframe 336 mounted at the rear of theframe I5. Traversing a space at 338, each string is guided downwardly bya tube 348 clamped at 342 on the feeder-frame. From the tubes 343, thefiber passes through tubes 3 H clamped at 343 and is delivered to thefoot-plate mechanism P, arranged to direct said fiber to different setsof passages in the multiple loader-block 314. To advance the strings offiber from the tubes 348 into the tubes 34l, they are received betweenfeed-rolls (Fig. 5) having sections 344 and 346 for the peripheralfastenings of the die-passages I8, and shorter sections 348 and 358 forthe breast-fastenings of the passages l8. By this independent feed ofthe fiber for different portions of the heel, fastenings may be obtainedwhich are of the correct lengths for the particular points of insertion,and therefore may be headed over or upset uniformly throughout. Therollsections 344, 348 are arranged end-to-end to turn about a horizontalspindle 352 extending across the frame 336. The sections 346, 358 arerotatable about a spindle 354 parallel to the spindle 352 and carried byarms 356, 356,, yoked together at 351, turning with a shaft 358rotatable :in the frame 336. .All the strings lie in grooves 360 in Thisgives the uniform insertion of go This continues until the roll-sections344 and 348, and are forced into feeding engagement with said grooves bya yieldable covering 362 of rubber, or the like, upon the sections 346and 350.

. To create the proper feeding contact of the roll-sections with thefiber, the shaft 358 (Fig. 4) has secured to one extremity an arm 364.Turning upon the outer divided end of this arm is a cross-pin 366 havinga transverse opening receiving a rod 368, which furnishes one link of atoggle-lever, the other link of which consists of an arm 318 of abell-crank-lever fulcrumed upon the frame 336 and having a second arm 312 furnishing .a hand-lever. Between a nut 314 threaded upon the rod 368and the pin 366, an expansion-spring 376 is interposed. This springholds the toggle-arm 318 over the center against a stop 318 upon theframe, at the same time urging the roll-sections .346 and 350 withadjustable pressure against the fiber and the latter against theroll-sections 344 and 348. If the arm 312 is raised and the arm 318moved away from the stop 318, the toggle-lever will be broken, causingthe roll-carrying arms 356, 356 to swing outwardly and separate theroll-sections 346, 358 from the sections 344, 346. This facilitates thedrawing back of the fiber from the foot-plate P and its rethreading,when the inserting design is to be changed.

Both the peripheral-roll-sections 344, 346 and the breast-roll-sections348, 358 are rotated under the influence of the driving mechanism, togive an advance of the fiber equal to the length of the pricking strokeof the drivers [6 and I6, plus an additional amount to provide for theheading or enlarging of the ends of the pegs. On account of thedecreased length of pricking at the breast, the feed produced by theroll-sections 348, 368 should be less than that for the otherfastenings, to prevent forming projections from the tread-surface of theheel whenthe fastenings are driven. Obviously, th feed in each instancemust be confined to the pricking stroke of the driving mechanism, itbeing prevented from acting during the inserting stroke. The mechanismsfor this purpose are shown most clearly in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Upon theframe 336 at the left and right of the feed-rolls are actuating racks386 and 388, respectively, guided for vertical reciprocation. Each ofthese racks is drawn normally up to a stop-surface 398 by atension-spring 392. With each rack meshes a pinion 393 rotatable uponthe frame, this in turn meshing with a gear-segment 394 turning aboutthe spindle 352 (Fig. 4), an arm 396 projecting from the segment havingpivoted upon it double pawls 398, 398. These paw-ls are forced byspring-plungers 408 against the periphery .of a ratchet-wheel 402, therebeing one of these wheels secured to each of the roll-sections 344 and348. Double spring-pressed detents 484, pivoted upon the frame, preventreverse rotation of each of the ratchet-wheel's and its roll-section.When either of the racks 386 or 388 is lowered, it turns the pinion 3.93and, therefore, the segment 394, and through the pawls 398 rotates theroll-section 344 or .348 with which it is associated. The co-operatingsections 346 and 356 are compelled to turn with their companions byspur-gearing 406 connecting them.

To communicate the movement of the driving mechanism to the racks 386and .388, there are respectively fulcrumed upon the racks at 488contact-levers 4H) and M2 .connected by .a link 413 to move together.Each of these levers may be considered as a portion of its rack and hasat its upper end an angular projection 414, which may either be drawnnormally to the right by a tension-spring 4l5, joining th link to theframe, where said projection is above and backed by a projection 416from the rack, as appears in Fig. 3, or it may lie to the left of saidrack. In the first of these positions, the lever-projection is in thepath of a contact-device D or D (Figs. 7 and 8) corresponding to theracks 386 and 388, respectively. Each of these devices is normallyspaced from the lever-projection by a distance substantially equal tothe difierence between the length of the pricking and inserting strokesof the drivers 16 and I6. It includes a spindle 418, which may be turnedin an eccentric bushing 428, separably held upon the spindle by acotter-pin 42L The bushing may be rotated about its longitudinal axis ina horizontal bore in the top-girt I54. The rear end of the spindlecarries a square head 422. Four contact-surfaces 424 of the head aredifferently spaced from the axis of the spindle, which may be rotated inthe bushing to position any one of the surfaces horizontally at theunderside of-the head. Here, the selected surface is retained by aspring-pressed pin 426 mounted in the top-girt and engaging any one offour depressions 428 in the head 422. The bushing 428 has at itslforwardend a head 426, which may be held in any on of five angular positions bya pin 429, projecting from the topgirt and entering a correspondingselected opening 438 in the head 426. This last adjustment will give,for each of the coarse adjustments furnished by the surfaces 424, a fineadjustment, resulting in a variation in vertical position for each ofsuch surfaces by the eccentric bushing. Thus, the extent of travel ofthe top-girt in engagement with the lever-projections 4M and themovement of the corresponding rack 386 or 388 may be independentlyadjusted, to give the angles through which the feed-roll-sections 344,346 and 348, 350 are rotated. In this manner, there may be obtained thedesired exact feed of th fiber, which is to furnish both the peripheraland breast-fastenings.

As previously noted, the above-described feed of the fiber into theloading mechanism L must occur only during the pricking stroke of thedrivers, to be inserted during the succeeding stroke, at which time theloader-block 3l4 remains at rest over the die l8. This is accomplishedby removing the lever=projections 4l4 from the paths of the devices Dand D' during the inserting movement of the drivers. The contact-lever4|!) has a depending arm 438 (Figs. 3 and 7), from which is a horizontalprojection 44!] lying in proximity to a pin 442 rising from the pivotalconnection between the link 386 and the lever 388 in the chain ofconnections governing the vertical position of the breast-drivers l6, ashereinbefore described. During the pricking stroke of the drivers, theslide 3l2 and block 3l4 of the loading mechanism are back in receivingposition at the foot-plate mechanism P, and the slide 3l2 has acted uponthe lever 382 to withdraw the slide 392 from above the breastdrivers,the pin 442 being held at its extreme outward position. Th projection440 from the lever 4H) is therefore free to be held outwardly, so theprojections 4| 4 of the levers 418 and M2 are carried by the spring 4|5over the front of the racks 386 and 388, where they are in the path ofthe corresponding contact devices D and D. When the top-girt I54descends in making the pricking stroke, the engagement of the contactdevices with the lever-projections carries down the racks 386 and 388 torotate the rollsections 344, 346 and 348, 350. There is consequentlydrawn from the coils C of the fiber different measured lengths of thematerial for the peripheral and breast-fastenings, as determined byadjustment of the contact devices. When the loader-slide 3l2 advances topresent the severed pegs of fiber above the die I0, it oscillates thelever 382 clockwise (Fig. 9), as it thrusts forward thebreast-driver-slide 292. The pin 442 is shifted to the right by the link386, and, acting upon the lever-projection 446, turns the levers 410 andM2 contraclockwise (Fig. 3). This removes the lever-projections 4 I 4from the path of the contact devices D and D, and the racks 386 and 388and the feeder mechanism F remain at rest. I

That the operator may know, without the necessity for closely followingthe feed of the fiber, when any one of the coils C is nearly exhausted,a singal mechanism S is made a part of the machine. Referring to Figs. 4and 6, there is mounted upon the top of the bracket 33 above the space338 between the adjacent ends of the tubes 332 and 340, a series offeelerlevers 450 fulcrumed upon a spindl 452 extending horizontallybetween side-walls 454, 454 of the. bracket. Between the side-walls is acrossbar 456, in which are mounted springplungers 458, one for eachfeeler, acting to press the downwardly turned end 460 of its feeleragainst one of the strings as it passes through the space 338. Eachfeeler has an upward actuating extension which, at 462, lies inproximity to a crossbar 464, supported at its ends by arms 466, 466yoked together at 461 and pivoted upon the respective side-walls 454,454.

Threaded through the bar 464, in the space at the adjacent ends of thepairs of roll-sections 40 for the peripheral and breast-fastenings, is ascrew 468 with its inner end adjacent to the actuating member 478 of asensitive switch, the casing of which is shown at 412. This switchcontrols, through conductors indicated at 414, a signal, which mayconsist of an incandescent lamp 416 placed below the inserting mechanismM and throwin its light upon the jacked work, where its absence willreadily be noted by the operator. As long as the string of fiber ispassing from one of the tubes 332 into the registering tube 340, itwill, by its engagement with the feeler-end 460, prevent the plunger 458from forcing the feeler-extension 462 against the bar 464. Under theseconditions, the screw 468 does not press against the switch member 470,and the switch 412 holds the circuit 414 of the lamp 416 closed.Observing the light, the operator will know that there is still fiberfrom all the coils C to be delivered by the feedin and loadingmechanisms to the inserting mechanism. When the trailing end from anyone of the coils passes the space 338, the plunger 458 of the feelerwhich co-operates with that space urges the end 468 down. Thefeeler-extension at 482 is forced against the crossbar 464, operatingthe switch to open the circuit 414, and the lamp 416 is thereforeextinguished. When the operator jacks a shoe, he will observe theabsence of'light upon the jacked work, and is thereby warned that,before th machine is operated, an exhausted coil of fiber must bereplaced. This ensures the attachment of all heels by the full number offastenings.

In the use of the machine, and assuming that there is to be a change inthe work required,

an alteration of the inserting design and of the depth to which thefastenings are to be driven, the operator, having separated thefeed-roll sections 346 and 350 from the sections 344 and 348 by throwingdown the hand-lever 312, (Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5), withdraws the strings Iof fiber from the foot-plate mechanism P and adjusts this mechanism forthe chosen design. The driver-plate I68 (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7) isreleased from the latch H2 and a plate having the proper arrangement ofdrivers I6, l6 substituted. The passages in the die l and driver-block3M are in a multiple of all designs. The strings f are drawn from thecoils C through the guidetubes into the foot-plate and loader-block 3M,

and the roll-sections restored to feeding relation by raising thehand-lever 312. Adjustment of the nut 314 gives the correct feedingpressure between the roll-sections. Movement of the wedge H8 (Figs. 4and 7) by the screw It!) so locates the driver-block I50, andconsequently the lower ends of the drivers, that these drivers willdescend in their inserting stroke to points at the reinforcement in arubber heel or at the tread-surface of a leather heel. Under theguidance of the indicating disk 254 (Fig. 16), the blocks 22B (Figs. 10and 13) are so positioned upon the cross-girt I58 and spaced from thecrosshead-projection 222 as to give to the drivers the desired depth oftheir prickin stroke. The length of fiber fed to the rolls for eachgroup of fastenings is determined by the setting of the contact-devicesD and D (Figs. 2 and 7 upon the top-girt M4, for the peripheral andbreast-fastenings, respectively. This is effected, in a preliminary way,by the position of the heads 422 of the devices and, more precisely, bythe bushings 420. If the heel to be attached is made up of a base it anda lift 1, the operator places these in the holder H, the lift beinguppermost, and places a shoe S on the jack J, with the latter drawn outfrom beneath the die If], and pushes said jack into operating position.Depressing the treadle 12, the operator elevates the piston 66 of thefluid-pressure mechanism in the cylinder 64, raising the piston 28 inthe cylinder 30 and, therefore, the jack which is carried by the latterpiston. The heel-seat of the shoe is thus forced against th heel-basewith preliminary pressure of such magnitude that the work may beadjusted as to registration. The movement of the piston 68 also appliedpressure to the cylinder 8 so its piston 86 carries the latch 92 intoengagement with the teeth 94 of the treadlelink E58. This positivelylocks the treadle to hold the pressure on the work. Until the latch hasbeen thus actuated, the end of the connected rod W2 will be in the pathof the hand-lever Gil, preventing its movement to trip the clutchmechanism but as the rod is shifted with the latch by the piston 86, itsend is so lowered that the hand-lever is freed, ready for the initiationof the power-cycle of the machine. When the operator presses thehand-lever against the clutch-rod 58, the cam 42 rotates, and, elevatingthe piston 54 in the cylinder 32, applies final pressure to the work,holding it through the operating cycle. The engagement of the clutchcauses the eccentric 288 to make the first of its two turns and lowerthe cross-head 292. Since the weight of the cross-girt IE8 is carried bythe crosshead at am, said cross-girt also descends, carrying with it theconnected side-rods I56 and top-girt i5 5 with the drivers l6 and 16'.By the time the lower ends of the drivers have reached the work, thecross-girt will have arrived at the lever 2I6 (Figs. 1 and which thenretains it until the crosshead-projection 222 strikes thecross-girt-blocks 228. The lever yields, and the drivers, acting asawls, prick lever M0 of the feeder-rack 356.

through the heel-lift and. base into the heelseat of the shoe to pointsat or near the inner surface of the insole. Since the loader-slide 312is now at the foot-plate P, the engaged lever 36% holds the slide 292withdrawn from the stem 286 of the breast-driver-plate H3, so thebreastclrivers it are free to rise to the extent permitted by th surface2% of the slide to conform to the curvature of the heel-seat at thebreast and to avoid contact with shank-reinforcements. During thepricking operation of the drivers, the devices D and D on the top-girtcame into engagement with the projections 4i 4 of the contactlevers M0and M2 upon the feeder-racks 38B and 338, actuating these. Through theinterposed gearing 393, 3%, 468, they rotate the roll-sections 364, 346and 348, 350 (Fig. 5) to advanc from the coils C, and through thefootplate P into the passages in the loader-block 3H5, lengths of fiberof the proper lengths for the peripheral and breast fastenings,respectively, as determined by the adjustment of the devices D and D. Asthe drivers are retracted, the loader-slide and its block advance,shearing off the fastenings and transferring them into registration withthe die-block-openings l8 and E8. The cam-groove 212 (Figs. 14 and 15)now shifts th carrier 23B upon the cross-girt I58 to remove the blocks228 from beneath the crosshead-projection 222 (Figs. 10 and 13). Theeccentric 208 makes its second turn, and the crosshead descends withincreased lost motion until the crosshead-surfaces 280 engagethfbiossgirt-surfaces 282 (Figs. 2, 12 and 13). This causes the driversto force the fastenings out of the loader-block passages and to maketheir inserting strokes of such a length as to drive the outer ends ofthe fastenings to the reinforcement contained in the lift Z. Because theloaderslide is forward, it will have so turned the lever 363 and theconnected lever 302 that the slide 222 is thrust forward until itssurface 296 is above the stem of the breast-driver-plate H3. The driversiii are thereby locked down-with their lower extremities in the sameplane as those of th peripheral drivers It. At the same time, the pin M2is carried by the lever 308 against the projection Mil upon the contact-This removes the projection 4M of the lever M0 from the path of thecontact device D upon the top-girt I54 and, through the link 513, thecorresponding projection upon the lever M2 from the path of the deviceD. Therefore, the racks are not reciprocated during the inserting strokeof the drivers and there is no feed of the strings 1. As the power-cycleof the machine is being completed, the eccentric 2&8 lifts the crosshead202, and with it the cross-girt I58 and the other elements of thedriver-assembly to their initial positions. The retraction of theloader-slide 3E2, acting upon the lever 368, withdraws the lockingsurface of the slide 292 to allow the upward movement of thebreastdrivers !6 and also frees the contact-levers M0 and M2 for returnto their string-feeding relation. The cam 42 frees the piston 34 so itis quickly lowered by its spring 48. The resulting suction in thefluid-pressure system relieves the pressure upon the latch-piston 8B,

which is elevated to withdraw the latch '92 from the teeth of thetreadle-link 68, so the piston 56 is lowered and the treadle raised. Thepiston 28 falls in its cylinder, and the jack J may be withdrawn frombeneath the die Ill and the heeled shoe removed If, during theoperation, the supply of fastening-material fails, thi will bediscovered by the corresponding feeler 450 at the space 338 between thguide-tubes for the strings, This feeler will open the contacts of theswitch 472 in the circuit of the normally illuminated signal 4'16 at theinserting mechanism, and the operator, observing the absence of light,will be warned to renew the supply and thus avoid the incompleteattachment of a heel. The machine is lubricated by the same oil thatfurnishes the fluid-pressure medium.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a fastening-inserting machine, fasteninginserting mechanism, amember movable to hold the work for the operation upon it, a cylinder, apiston in the cylinder movable by the operator to transmitfiuid-pressure'to the work-holding member, a latching cylinder, a pistonmovable in the latching cylinder receiving said fluid-pressure, atoothed member movable with the operatoractuated piston, and a latchmovable by the latching piston into retaining engagement with thetoothed member.

2. In a fastening-inserting machine, fasteninginserting mechanism, amember movable to hold the work for the operation upon it, a cylinder, a

piston in the cylinder movable b the operator to transmit fluidpreesureto the work-holding member, a treadle, a link connecting the piston tothe treadle and provided with a series of teeth, a latch pivoted forengagement with the teeth, a latching cylinder receiving fluid-pressurefrom the first-mentioned cylinder, and a piston movable in the latchingcylinder to cause the latch to engage the teeth.

3. In a fastening-inserting machine, fasteninginserting mechanism, amember movable to hold the work for the operation upon it, a cylinder, apiston in the cylinder movable by the operator to transmitfluid-pressure to the work-holding member, a treadle, a link connectingthe piston to the treadle and provided with a series of teeth, a latchpivoted for engagement with the teeth, a latching cylinder receivingfluid-pressure from the first-mentioned cylinder, a piston movable inthe latching cylinder, and a spring through which the movement of thepiston is communicated to the latch to cause it to engage the teeth.

4. In a fastening-inserting machine, fastenin inserting mechanism, amember movable to hold the work for the operation upon it, a cylinder, apiston in the cylinder movable by the operator to transmitfluid-pressure to the work-holding member, a treadle, a link connectingthe piston to the treadle and provided with a series of teeth, a latchpivoted for engagement with the teeth, a latching cylinder receivingfluid-pressure from the first-mentioned cylinder, a piston movable inthe latching cylinder, a spring through which the movement of the pistonis communicated to the latch to cause it to engage the teeth, and meansconnected to the latch to withdraw it from the teeth while compressingthe spring.

5. In a fastening-inserting machine, a worksupport, mechanism forinserting fastenings in the supported work, clutch mechanism throughwhichv power, is applied to the inserting mechanism, fluid-pressuremechanism by which the work-support is actuated, means movable tocontrol the fluid-pressure mechanism, and means movable to control theclutch mechanism, movement of the clutch-controlling means beingdependent upon the movement of the fluid-pressure-controlling means.

6. In a fastening-inserting machine, a worksupport, mechanism forinserting fastenings in the supported work, clutch mechanism throughwhich power is applied to the inserting mechanism, fluid-pressuremechanism b which the work-support is actuated, means movable to controlthe fluid-pressure mechanism, means movable to control the clutchmechanism, and a member movable by the fluid-pressure controlling meansinto the path of the clutch-controlling means.

7. In a fastening-inserting machine, a worksupport, mechanism forinserting fastenings in the supported work, clutch mechanism throughwhich power is applied to the inserting mechanism, fluid-pressuremechanism by which the work-support is actuated, means by which suchactuation is temporaril maintained, a member movable by the operator torelease the fluid-pressure mechanism, and a membermovable b the operatorto trip the clutch mechanism, the clutch-tripping member bein retainedagainst movement until the pressure-releasing member has been actuated.

8. In a fastening-inserting machine, a worksuppo-rt, mechanism forinserting fastenings in the supported work, clutch mechanism throughwhich power is applied to the inserting mechanism, fluid-pressuremechanism by which the work-support is actuated, a latch for retainingthe fluid-pressure mechanism in its actuated relation, a rod movable bythe operator to release the latch, and a rod movable by the operator totrip the clutch mechanism, the latch-rod preventing movement of theclutch-rod until said latch-rod has released the latch.

9. In a fastening-inserting machine, a worksupport, mechanism forinserting fastenings in the supported work, clutch mechanism throughwhich power is applied to the inserting mechanism, a power-cylinder, apiston movable in the power-cylinder for actuating the work-support, alatch for the power-piston to retain the worksupport actuated, a rodconnected to the clutch mechanism, a lever through which the operatormay move the rod to release the clutch, and a rod connected to the latchand normally extending into the path of the lever,

10.111 a fastening-inserting machine, a die having fastening-receivingpassages, a drivercarrier movable toward and from the die and providedwith a passage, a block having a stem extending into thecarrier-passage, fasteningdrivers mounted upon the block in registrationwith the die-passages, and means arranged to vary the position of theblock-stem longitudinally of the carrier-passage.

11. In a fastening-inserting machine, a die having fastening-receivingpassages, a drivercarrier movable toward and from the die and providedwith a passage, a block having a stem extending into thecarrier-passage, fasteningdrivers mounted upon the block in registrationwith the die-passages, a wedge movable between the carrier and thedriver-block, and a screw hreaded into the stem and engaging thecarrier.

12. In a fastening-inserting machine, a die having fastening-receivingpassages, a driver-

